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Q and A: Quvenzhané Wallis

Quvenzhané Wallis

Chris Heller/Staff

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 4:55 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 4:55 p.m.

Staff Writer Kris Johnson had interviewed “Beasts of the Southern Wild” star Quvenzhané Wallis last week. The 9-year-old Houma actress starred in the Terrebonne Parish-filmed movie. She got a best actress Oscar nomination last month for the role of “Hushpuppy,” which was her first acting job. Winners will be announced Sunday. During the phone interview, Wallis shared her experiences since her rise to fame and told us a little bit about this weekend's Oscars.

Yeah. They know and they ask me about it. But they don't like blab about it or anything.

Do they think you're famous? What do they say to you about it?

When I come back to school, they're like “How fun was it?” But that's it. Then they're my friends again.

We hear you're in another movie, “12 Years a Slave.” Tell us how you remember your lines. It must have been hard when you were in “Beasts of the Southern Wild” because you were so young and it was your first movie?

My mom helps me. She reads them over and over again with me and plays the other characters.

What's your favorite thing to do at home when you're not doing homework or practicing your lines for a movie?

Playing with my dogs and watching TV, being bored. I have two dogs, but they aren't really mine. They're for my brother and my sister, but she's never there.

What famous person would you like to be in a movie with some day?

I don't know.

Well, what's your favorite movie?

“Finding Nemo.”

OK. So you were on the “Ellen” show and Ellen DeGeneres was the voice of Dory. Would you like to do a movie with her one day?

Yes, maybe with Ellen.

Since you were in “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” what's the most fun or exciting thing that has happened to you?

Going to Universal Studios in Florida. It was so fun. They had water parks and stuff.

I know everyone keeps asking you what you're wearing to the Oscars. And you keep saying you don't know. But tell me, if you could wear anything you want, what would it be? Would you be dressed up in a dress or would you want to be comfortable in something like jeans?

I really like both. I like jeans and being comfy, but I also like getting all dressed up, but all black creeps me out. So I want to wear anything except that.

Other than an actress, what do you want to be when you grow up? Why?

A dentist. To see people smile.

When you're traveling all over the country for interviews and other events, what do you miss the most about Houma?